Strong Growth for Cargo Container and Trailer Telematics Over the Next 5 Years

Berg Insight – a global market analyst firm specialising in Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and the Internet of Things (IoT) – recently published the fourth edition of their study “Trailer and Cargo Container Tracking”, which analyses the latest developments in this market worldwide.

According to Berg Insight, trailer and cargo container tracking is a sub-segment of asset tracking, and is primarily used to increase operational efficiency and make logistics chains more secure.

A real time tracking solution has been defined by Berg Insight as “a system that incorporates data logging, real-time positioning and data communication to a back office application. Trailer tracking is often a part of a fleet management solution including both the truck and trailer”.

The key findings from the research include the following:

In 2014 the installed base of remote tracking systems in active trailer and cargo containers was 1.8 million units

This is forecast to grow at 26.2% CAGR, reaching 5.8 million units by 2019

Tracking of trailers and swap bodies accounted for 71.3% of the total installed base in 2014

Intermodal container tracking is the second largest segment with an installed base of 350,000 tracking units in 2014

Berg Insight’s report anticipates that there will be a strong focus on cargo transport security and increased supply chain visibility in the coming years. Tracking of trailers and intermodal containers is becoming increasingly common and technology advancements, such as remote tracking systems with cellular or satellite communication capabilities, are allowing even smaller logistics units (such as individual pallets or cargo boxes) to be tracked at reasonable costs.

Enabling logistics and supply chain organisations to gain immediate feedback on the status and location of their assets requires a highly flexible and reliable connection to the enterprise network – for which cellular networking solutions provide an answer. The growth and widespread availability of LTE has resulted in a new era of high bandwidth and performance capabilities. These are allowing smart applications such as remote tracking systems for cargo to remain connected anywhere, anytime and provide real-time information – ultimately helping companies to improve their service delivery, increase the security of their assets and streamline their workflows.